84 Rajinesque on the Red Adder, 



From the above accurate description, it will appear evident 

 that this animal is very different from the common marten of 

 North America. It must be a ferocious little animal, and very 

 fierce ; which is indicated by the strength of the teeth. 



Art. XVIII. Natural History of the Scytalus Cupreus, 

 or Copper-head Snake. By C. S. Rafinesque. 



JxFTER the rattlesnake, the copper-head snake is the most 

 dreaded in the northern states, being the next largest venom- 

 ous- snake : he is also more common in the cold parts, where 

 the former is very rare. Strange as it may seem, this con- 

 spicuous and dangerous animal has escaped the notice of natu- 

 ralists, and is not found described in Shaw nor Lacepede. 

 Having seen two of them near Fishkill, in the summer of 1817, 

 I endeavoured to describe them completely, and investigate 

 their history. They were both killed in a meadow, and one 

 of them while sleeping coiled up near a fence ; a slight stroke 

 of a rod was sufficient, as usual with venomous snakes. It 

 appears that they are killed much easier than the innocent 

 snakes ; these are often seen to revive after an apparent death, 

 and do not really die until the next sunset ; while venomous 

 snakes do not easily revive, particularly if the head is slightly 

 bruised. 



This snake is known by a variety of names in diflferent parts 

 of the State of New- York, since he has every where attracted 

 the attention of the inhabitants : these names are, copper-heady 

 copper-snake, chunk-head, copper-adder, copper-viper, copper- 

 belly, pilot-snake, deaf-adder, deaf-snake; and in New-England, 

 by the names rattlesnake^ s mate and red adder, &c. They 

 have all been given in reference to his colour, or to some pre- 

 sumed peculiarities in his manners, &c. Chunk-head is a vul- 

 gar expression, meaning thick-head or blunt-head. He has 

 been called sometimes pilot-snake, on a false supposition that 

 he was the pilot or guide of the rattlesnake ; and he has been 



